|| Vakratunda Mahaakaaya
Suryakoti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kuru Mey Deva
Sarva Kaaryeshu Sarvadaa ||
( Oh Lord with a curved trunk and a mighty body who has the luster of a million suns, I pray to thee to remove the obstacles from all the actions I intend to perform)
It’s rather unusual to begin a New Year determined by the Gregorian calendar with an invocation to a Hindu God. However, I am Indian and for centuries my country has embraced all that is good, and celebrated festivals of all faiths.